Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson (21), right, challenges Minnesota tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (81) for a Christian Ponder pass during the first quarter of their 2011 game at Lambeau Field. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The ball hit D.J. Smith’s hands, ricocheted into the air and — as he’s done for 14 seasons — Charles Woodson made a play. The Green Bay Packers “cornerback” swooped in for the interception and the race was on.

Call it another reminder. The 35-year-old Woodson still finds the football.

No player on the defense has more freedom to roam, to trust hunches. As coach Mike McCarthy said at the team’s first training camp practice Thursday, Woodson plays “like a quarterback.” So at his age, it was time.

In addition to his usual spot as a slot cornerback in Green Bay’s nickel defense, it appears Woodson will now play safety in the team’s base alignment. The Packers used base only about 25% of the time last season, but the switch is significant. It’s another way for coaches to get more mileage out of Woodson, the richest player on the team this season.

There’s a ripple effect, too. With Woodson as the slot corner in nickel, and Charlie Peprah released, a training camp battle between ultra-green safeties from Arkansas State, Maine and Tennessee State has begun.

Also, at Woodson’s old cornerback spot in base, there also will be competition.

Woodson isn’t the lockdown cornerback of yesteryear, a player capable of sticking man up on elite receivers, but the Packers do believe he still can change games.

“Throughout his career he has been a playmaker whether he has played corner or the inside position,” McCarthy said. “In our particular defense, we feel he is a lot more valuable to us the closer he is to the ball because of the different positions he can play and the number of different things we can do with him.

“That’s really part of the thinking — trying to get him to play closer to the ball and more involved with his instincts.”

This summer features renovation throughout Green Bay’s defense. On the line, Jerel Worthy may contribute immediately. At outside linebacker, Nick Perry is expected to add some sizzle to the pass rush. And in the secondary, Woodson’s role diversifies.

On reporting day Wednesday, he was in the safeties’ meeting room. And Thursday in position drills, there he was working extensively with third-year safety Morgan Burnett. In the drill, the two reacted to receiver movement across the line of scrimmage before the snap.

Yes, he has 214 games of experience under his belt, but there is some learning involved here. Teammates expect a seamless transition.

“We can learn from him. He’s a great player,” second-year safety M.D. Jennings said. “He has a lot of experience so it’s good to be around him… . I think most of (his job) is what he did here in the past. There are a few new things for him but I think he’ll handle that well.”

As coaches reiterated in the spring, they want Woodson around the football. While it may be risky to stick him out wide on an island with receivers — something defensive coordinator Dom Capers was careful not to do in 2011 — he still can wreak havoc in a read-and-react, roving role. For now, Jarrett Bush is cornerback opposite Tramon Williams in base. Of course, he has been a glaring man-to-man risk in the past himself, so expect Sam Shields, Davon House and rookie Casey Hayward to all vie for that job.

Woodson, who’ll count $11.56 million against the salary cap this season, will be expected to get his hands on the ball — wherever he is.

In six years with the Packers, the 6-foot-1, 202-pounder has averaged 6.2 interceptions, 18.3 pass breakups and 2.3 forced fumbles per season.

“I think anywhere you put Wood, he’s going to be around the ball,” Jennings said. “He’s just a great athlete, so I think regardless of where he’s lined up on the field he’ll be around the ball and make plays.”

And why have coaches been so hesitant to label Woodson a safety? They’re banking on Jennings, Jerron McMillian or Anthony Levine to step up next to Burnett in their nickel defense, the defense Capers used nearly 75% of the time in 2011. While McCarthy did indicate at the owners’ meeting earlier in the off-season that he wanted to play more base, the Packers’ nickel package will be increasingly valuable in this pass-obsessed NFL.

On Day 1, Jennings opened as the starter next to Burnett. The once wiry, raw kid from a high school graduating class of 48 students might be counted on big time in 2012.

During exit interviews in January, safeties coach Darren Perry told Jennings to pack on more weight. So by eating a meal “every three hours” he did that this off-season. Jennings says he stuck to healthy foods — steak, potatoes, rice — to bulk up to 197 pounds. That’s a far cry from his playing weight of 160 pounds at Arkansas State.

The student of the game who loves to write, rewrite and re-rewrite his notes from each day is the front-runner.

“Coming in as an undrafted guy, I had to fight for everything,” Jennings said. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be anywhere near this close to competing for a starting job at this point last season.”

Then again, there’s still a month to go. If he can pick up the nuances of the defense, fourth-round pick McMillian should be a strong candidate, also. Through this experimentation, the Packers could warp their secondary into something new by mid-August.

One thing we do know is that Woodson’s value to the Packers remains high and the team remains confident in him. Be it at cornerback or safety.

“He’s been here a long time,” McMillian said. “Anything he puts his mind to, he can do. So I don’t think it’ll be hard for him.”

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